Wimbledon Adopts Video Review Technology This Season.
Wimbledon will follow the American and Aussie Opens in employing video review systems.
Replay systems are set to arrive at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Competitors will gain the right to challenge particular calls made by the chair umpire, following the protocol already in operation at both the US Open and the Aussie major.
This innovation is slated for use on Centre Court and the number one court for the duration of the tournament and on the other four featured courts when they are staging singles contests.
This move arrives only a year after the All England Club implemented ELC, which effectively ended the 147-year role of line officials.
Scope of Challenges
Players cannot to challenge the call of the ELC system, but are allowed to request the official to re-examine specific decisions, including:
- Whether a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a shot made contact with an rival's racket or person during play.
- Potential interference end of a point.
Notably, there is no cap on the amount of reviews a player can initiate.
Case in Point
A recent case occurred in Indian Wells recently, where a top player initiated the review system against Jack Draper.
Draper admitted it was a difficult situation for the umpire, but thought his rival had "played the rules effectively."
Official Aurelie Tourte viewed a video and determined Draper was responsible for interference, awarding the rally to Medvedev.
Broader Adoption
Video reviews aren't new for Grand Slams. The system was adopted at the American major since 2023 and the Australian Open since 2025.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by the coming year the men's ATP Tour plans to have video reviews implemented at all of its events.
Additional Innovations
Another innovation at Wimbledon this year will be the introduction of visual indicators on displays to complement the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This solves instances where fans have occasionally been uncertain whether a shot was in or out.
In other news, with exactly a century of days to go until the start of the Championships, organizers have also announced an increase in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in Roehampton.
